GPS interference surges in the Gulf after strikes on Iran

28 February 2026 to 7 March 2026 · Conflict · Last updated 10 November 2026

After US and Israeli strikes on Iran began on 28 February 2026, shipping analysts reported GPS disruption to more than 1,100 vessels across the Gulf.

Source: GPSInterference.com, https://gpsinterference.com/reports/2026-02-28-iran-war-gulf-gnss-surge. Free to reuse with this credit and a link.

U.S. Navy ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz
U.S. Navy ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz · Photo: U.S. Navy, Alex R. Forster · Public domain

What happened

The United States and Israel began strikes on Iran on 28 February 2026.[1]

The maritime analytics firm Windward said more than 1,100 ships across the Gulf had their GPS or AIS positions disrupted in the days that followed, with some shown inland, at airports and at a nuclear power plant.[1][2]

A Joint Maritime Information Center notice on 1 March called the situation critical and reported significant GNSS interference in the approaches to the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf of Oman and the southern Gulf.[1]

Jeremy Bennington of the navigation-testing firm Spirent said hundreds of flights were affected, a number that fell as flights were cancelled.[1]

What our map showed

Our map shows aircraft reporting low GPS position accuracy. It does not show who or what caused it. A day is a full UTC day, so short events can be diluted.

Ships use AIS, not ADS-B, so our map shows aircraft over the same waters, not the ships themselves.

Open this day on the live map

Affected share
100%
High-interference hexagons
15 of 15
30-day average
12%
8.7 times the 30-day average

Other areas checked

AreaDay (UTC)ShareHigh30-day average
UAE and Qatar coast3 March 2026100%21 of 216%

By altitude

AltitudeMeasured hexagonsHighShare30-day average
below 5,000 ft66100%16%
5,000–15,000 ft88100%16%
15,000–30,000 ft9778%13%
above 30,000 ft55100%4%

Each day checked

Day (UTC)Measured hexagonsHighShare
28 February 20265659%
1 March 20268338%
2 March 2026131077%
3 March 20261515100%
4 March 20261313100%
5 March 20261515100%
6 March 20261616100%
7 March 20261919100%

Day by day

Affected share by day, 14 February 2026 to 28 March 2026 Share of measured hexagons with high interference in the area, for each UTC day. The dashed line is the average of the 30 days before the event. Gaps are days without data. 100% 0% 14 February 2026 28 March 2026
Day checked · 30-day average
Affected share by day, 14 February 2026 to 28 March 2026
Day (UTC)Share
14 February 20269%
15 February 20265%
16 February 20263%
17 February 202612%
18 February 202614%
19 February 202613%
20 February 202614%
21 February 20267%
22 February 20267%
23 February 202620%
24 February 20268%
25 February 20267%
26 February 20267%
27 February 202612%
28 February 20269%
1 March 202638%
2 March 202677%
3 March 2026100%
4 March 2026100%
5 March 2026100%
6 March 2026100%
7 March 2026100%
8 March 2026100%
9 March 2026100%
10 March 2026100%
11 March 2026100%
12 March 2026100%
13 March 2026100%
14 March 2026100%
15 March 2026100%
16 March 2026100%
17 March 2026100%
18 March 2026100%
19 March 2026100%
20 March 2026100%
21 March 2026100%
22 March 202693%
23 March 2026100%
24 March 2026100%
25 March 202694%
26 March 2026100%
27 March 2026100%
28 March 2026100%

Video

Iran war: GPS under attack? | DW News, DW News. Watch on YouTube

What others said

Context

Sources

  1. WIRED, Matt Burgess. GPS attacks on ships spike amid the US and Israeli war on Iran, 2 March 2026.
  2. CNBC, Matthew Chin. Electronic warfare in the Persian Gulf: How GPS interference is disrupting the Middle East, 26 March 2026.
  3. CNN. Report on GPS jamming of ships and planes during the Iran war, 6 March 2026.
  4. OCCRP. More than 1,100 ships hit by widespread GPS disruption after Iran strikes.

Cite this report

GPSInterference.com (2026). GPS interference surges in the Gulf after strikes on Iran. Report, 10 November 2026, updated 10 November 2026. https://gpsinterference.com/reports/2026-02-28-iran-war-gulf-gnss-surge. Data: adsb.lol ADS-B, method v2.
BibTeX
@misc{gpsinterference_2026_02_28_iran_war_gulf_gnss_surge,
  author = {{GPSInterference.com}},
  title = {GPS interference surges in the Gulf after strikes on Iran},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {\url{https://gpsinterference.com/reports/2026-02-28-iran-war-gulf-gnss-surge}},
  note = {Report, updated 2026-11-10. Data: adsb.lol ADS-B, method v2}
}